GRL Releases USB Type-C Test Controller (GRL-USB-PD-C1)

11月 8th, 2015 by Quintin Anderson

Complete Solution Enabling Validation of USB Type-C and USB Power Delivery Silicon and End Products

SANTA CLARA, Calif., November 9, 2015 – Granite River Labs (GRL), a global leader in engineering services and test solutions for high speed connectivity, today announced availability of its USB Type-C™ Test Controller hardware solution, GRL-USB-PD-C1. In early 2015 GRL released GRL-USB-PD, the world’s first oscilloscope-based software designed for testing to the USB Power Delivery (USB PD) specification. GRL-USB-PD software, when used on any Windows 7+ oscilloscope, provides a simple and efficient way to perform USB PD electrical parametric and protocol measurements. Combined with the GRL-USB-PD-C1 hardware, GRL-USB-PD provides a complete, automated solution for enabling USB Power Delivery product validation. GRL will support the upcoming USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) Compliance Workshop #97, November 9-13 in Taipei, Taiwan.

“GRL has been an active participant in the development and adoption of USB Power Delivery,” said Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF President and COO. “With USB pre-test solutions, adopters can perform pre-validation in their own lab before attending a workshop or sending their device to an authorized USB-IF test lab for compliance testing, enabling faster time to market.”

The USB Power Delivery specification enables the maximum functionality of USB by providing more flexible power delivery along with data over a single cable — up to 100W in either direction. For most new USB Type-C designs, the USB PD specification provides the “handshaking” mechanism for USB Power Delivery, as well as entry and exit from other technologies that have developed USB Type-C Alternate Modes (“Alt Modes”), including DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3, and MHL. GRL’s flexible controller hardware and software solution supports Alt Mode link negotiation, as well as USB Power Delivery handshaking to enable high speed PHY and other testing.

“The USB Type-C cable and connector and USB Power Delivery are exciting new features for the USB ecosystem, and are opening up a broad range of applications that haven’t been possible until now,” said Mike Engbretson, GRL Chief Technology Engineer. “GRL is proud to have taken a leadership role in the emerging USB Power Delivery ecosystem, providing a critical tool to help adopters release USB PD products to the market with confidence.”

The combined solution of GRL-USB-PD software and GRL-USB-PD-C1 hardware provides an essential analysis tool for the design, debug, and validation of any USB Power Delivery or USB Type-C design.

About Granite River Labs:Granite River Labs (GRL) is a global leader providing Engineering Services and Test Solutions to help hardware engineers adopt high speed interfaces. A trusted partner of small up-and-coming hardware developers to some of the largest companies in the world, Granite River Labs combines recognized industry experts, high performance test equipment, and automated test solutions.